The Ministry of Higher and secondary education of the Republic of Uzbekistan The Uzbekistan state World Languages University

Refusing a request. Oh, sorry. I can't right now. I'm sorry, but I'm busy.. I'd rather not. . What? You must be kidding!.

Figure 1. Interchange 2 (Richards, Hull & Proctor, 1991, p. 36)
Although What? You must be kidding! does indeed indicate refusal, i.e., the speech act performance would be considered successful (the speaker refused), use of this phrase is not considered polite and would result in pragmatic tension, failure, or worse. The classroom teacher would (hopefully) point out the differences among each refusal form presented, but this cannot be guaranteed. The student is not given the explanatory tools to be able to make intentional choices about being rude and/or polite (Grant & Starks, 2001). [-11-]
Discussions of illocutionary force are often concentrated on modals: "modals can convey strength of attitudes" (Understanding and Using English Grammar, 1999, p. 151). In Focus on Grammar, there is discussion of formality, register variation, and indirect speech acts which primarily consist of reported speech: "Usage Note: should is more formal than ought to" (2000, p.229). In most textbooks, students are informed that the use of modals imply different meanings: "meaning ranges in strength from suggestion to responsibility" (Understanding and Using English Grammar, 1999, p. 160). Occasionally, modals are linked explicitly to particular speech acts, as shown in Focus on Grammar : "1. modals are auxiliary ('helping') verbs that we use to express... social functions such as giving advice" (2000, p. 228). The association of speech act functions to particular forms limits the range of language students have available to perform a certain speech act. A key element of acquiring pragmatic competence involves selection from multiple forms to convey illocutionary force; if students have only one form available, they are essentially not making pragmatic choices (Bardovi-Harlig, 2002). In Intermediate grammar: From form to meaning and use, the negative form of will is described as "used to make refusals" (1996, p. 86). However, there are other and often, more pragmatically appropriate and polite, ways to refuse. Not explaining to students the ramifications of using a particular form, or that there exist several forms to convey the same speech act ultimately does them a disservice and can result in pragmatic tension or pragmatic failure.
Register discussions frequently occurred in grammar textbooks, distinguishing usage in written and spoken language: "[W]e often use can't instead of must not to express prohibition in spoken English" (Focus on Grammar, 2000, p. 230). In Grammar Links 3, a section included in several (but not all) chapters entitled "Talk the Talk" provides information contrasting spoken and written forms of English, and generally consists of warnings not to use spoken forms such as gonna or contractions in written work, although the discussion of social modals includes a section which encourages students to consider authority in relation to politeness when giving advice. In three of the four grammar textbooks, issues of formality and the differences between speaking and writing are mentioned; however, quite infrequently and without any contextual information which would indicate appropriate contexts (social or otherwise) which would require formal usage, nor any discussion of the differences between formality and register.
In some cases, the focus on speech acts in textbooks may actually be pragmatically inappropriate for students. For example, in 3 of the 4 integrated skills books that examined, complaining comprised several sections and activities, whereas empirical studies have shown that direct complaints are quite rare in conversation, and in most cases, are often sociopragmatically inappropriate (Arent, 1996; Boxer & Pickering, 1995). Imagine the pitfalls for a population of learners who think direct complaints are the norm in English! All of the integrated skills books that include discussion of complaints include activities of writing a letter of complaint, which would differ in important ways from oral complaining. There is also little contextual variation in the examples: most books present failed service encounter situations, without explanation of how such an act, i.e., complaining, could be appropriately extended to other situations. In Intermediate grammar: From form to meaning and use, students are told that "comparatives are frequently used to give compliments" (1996, p. 317). While this might be true, the subsequent activity encourages students to "Make positive comments about changes in appearance of the people in the situations...using the comparative form of the suggested adjectives," the example item given is "You look much better now" (Intermediate grammar: From form to meaning and use, 1996, p. 317). Native speakers may interpret this kind of compliment as an insult (how did I look before?), but no metapragmatic explanation of this possible interpretation is made, nor is there any discussion of when complimenting is appropriate. Similarly, the speech acts of making suggestions/giving advice consisting of should or had better are typically associated topically with medical units. Students may not be able to simply transfer this linguistic form to other contexts appropriately. [-12-]
Some texts do include extralinguistic and contextual information that is pragmatically relevant. Contextual factors discussed include the linguistic context, as well as the "situation and the speaker's and listener's knowledge" (Grammar Links 3, 2000, p. 146).In Intermediate grammar: From form to meaning and use, students are given language samples with description of status or interlocutor information, such as "Two strangers in an elevator" or "Two friends" (Intermediate grammar: From form to meaning and use, 1996, p. 163). Intermediate grammar: From form to meaning and use also frequently encourages students to consider the interpersonal context of the utterance: "will is more formal than be going to...[its use] depends on the situation and the relationship between the speakers" (Intermediate grammar: From form to meaning and use, 1996, p. 86). Incorporation of comments related other extralinguistic contextual information, such as situation and tone of voice are exemplified in Intermediate grammar: From form to meaning and use, as well:
Imperatives can easily sound rude or angry, depending on the situation and your tone of voice. Please helps to soften a command. Using modals (such as would and could) is a more polite and indirect way to tell someone to do something (1996, p. 37).
In Interchange 2, there is an introduction to apologizing that makes use of metapragmatic information, ending with the statement, "In North America, people usually apologize and explain, or apologize and offer to do something about it" (1996, p. 37). Introducing students to the semantic moves associated with a particular speech act in a certain context (English-speaking North America) is pragmatically helpful. The activity on apologies continues with a discussion activity which asks students, "How do people usually apologize in your country?" (Interchange 2, 1996, p. 37), which would encourage contrastive analysis and perhaps raise pragmatic awareness. In Passages 1, Unit 6 is entitled "Interpersonal Communication" and begins with an activity that has students define six types of conversational styles: bragger, complimenter, wandering eye, bore, interrupter and conversation starter. Then, students are to discuss poor conversationalists after reading prompts like: "Asking about other people's personal business is impolite, but he does it anyway" (1998, p. 46). The grammar activity which follows has students fill in the blanks with adjectives (acceptable, appropriate, customary, important, polite, unusual) "to complete the sentences about typical or appropriate behavior" is followed by a writing activity where students describe "what is typical or appropriate" in their own culture (Passages 1, 1998, p. 47). These focus on appropriate physical behaviors (shaking hands, kissing on the cheek, etc.) and appropriate topics.
Ideally, the teacher would explain the different contexts appropriate for each utterance during class, but in many EFL (and ESL!) situations, the book is taken at face value and the non-native speaker teacher may have little knowledge of what is appropriate in certain situations.
Although texts categorized as EFL examined in this study devote a larger percentage of text space to pragmatic information, the metapragmatic information in ESL grammar texts is richer, particularly by providing students more variety of forms to accomplish a particular function, and more explicit metapragmatic discussion. [-13-]